“Very.”
Then she kissed me.
It was not the careful question from the pier.
It was warm and certain, her wet hand sliding to the side of my neck as I caught her by the waist.
For several seconds, I forgot we were behind the dive shop in half-removed wetsuits beside a bucket labeledMYSTERY CLIPS.
Then Captain Pancake barked.
We jumped apart.
He stood in the doorway with Hank behind him.
Hank looked at the puddle around our feet.
“Hose problem?”
“Yes,” I said.
“No,” Annie said at the same time.
Hank looked between us.
Annie cleared her throat.
“Resolved.”
“Mm-hm.”
He went back inside.
Captain Pancake remained in the doorway, visibly disappointed.
“I think we’ve been reported,” Annie whispered.
“He’s very strict about workplace conduct.”
“He sits on customers.”
“Different department.”
We finished rinsing the equipment under canine supervision.
After Annie changed, we walked toward the café.
Rosa had placed two iced teas and a plate of fries on the haunted table.
“We didn’t order,” Annie said.
Rosa looked at me.
“She still thinks ordering matters.”
“She’s new,” I said.
We sat.
